Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-01-08
AN INQUEST
Into the Causes of the Baltimore Il Ohio
Wreck ut Kepublic.
tomorrow.

TIFFIN, q Jan. 7.
The inquest into the causes of the wreck
on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad at Repub-
lie, was begun this afternoon. The first
fitness examined was L. F. Fletcher, con-
ductor of the freight train. He said:
ed. Killer was engineer of the freight
and W. j. Cullison fireman. We ran from
Tiffin to Seneca siding, about three miles
and half east of here and side tracked for
the east bound express. After this train
passed, we had As minutes in which to make
Republic siding. We left here with l4O
pounds of steam. After going two miles
noticed the train was Stacking. l went for
ward over Is cars to the engine to see what
was wrong. found the steam had run down
to 40 pounds. | opened the door of the fur
mace aud looked at the fire; then looked at
my watch and saw we had but four minutes
until No. 6, the east bound express was due.
took the red and white flag and ran ahead
to flag her | got about 100 yards in the
curve and signslled to stop. As the express
approached noticed the engineer bad re-
versed his engine. In the meantime the
freight had come to a standstil and the en-
gineer had shut off the steam and jumped off
when the collision occurred. The engineer
had been drinking. | saw him take two
drinks at Bloomdale and two at Fostora
w ueu SdW VIC iIau but iuui uihuiSs w
make the siding at Republic the engineer did
not seem to realize the danger ahead. tried
to get passengers out of the burning cars.
One man was jammed between the smoker
and ladies' car. | tried to get him out but
the flames drove me away and he had to burn.
| heard no shrieks or cries of others in the
burning cars"
N. J. Cullison, firemen on the freight was
next cllled. He said he was farm hand
and had been on the road but three weeks.
He never knew anything about the business
before. He said.
I'VE had trouble in keeping up fire. We
had l40 lbs. Of steam when we left Seneca
siding The train ran four or five miles when
the steam was down to 60 lbs We were GO
ing about miles an hour. The conductor
came in and locked at the fire and said it was
all right When the conductor went ahead
to flag ard saw the express coming, he yelled
back for US to jump. After the collision oc-
CURED | tried to get persons ont. l saw per-
sons in there burning, but | was so excited |
could tell but llttle about it
Chas Snyder of Columbus. Ohio, was the
front brakeman on the freight. He said
II was in the cab of the engine and noticed
they had but one guage of water when they
should have at least three. | going
ahead TO flag but the conductor grabbed the
lantern and went. | knew nothing about
either the conductor or the engineer drink
ing"
Thomas F. Heskett of Wheeling, W. Va,
conductor of the express on the, night of the
collision testified: "'The express was three
minutes late at Republic. had about 60 pas
sengers, IA or l5 in the smoker. OF that
number five escaped from the smoker. two
thrown out of the top of the car uninjured
and three somewhat injured. | think there
were not more than ten killed. OF the
number killed the names of seven are know"
B. j. Hale of Rowan, Ind, was the rear
brakeman on the freight and when the col
lsion occurred he took and went in the rear
about mile to flag any other train that might
be coming"
The inquest will be resumed in the moro
ing.